The weather outside the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday evening was more conducive to hockey or curling. But inside the cavernous Big O, more than 61,000 sports fans came to watch playoff soccer.

Among the sell-out crowd were a raucous contingent of Toronto FC supporters, dressed in red and ready to paint the town the same colour. Failing that, they promised to drown out the Montreal’s Impact equally fervent fans in the battle of chants.

“It’s incredibly exciting, it feels like Christmas,” said Rachel Finan, a TFC season-ticket holder who flew to Montreal to see the game, which would see the Impact beat TFC 3-2.

“If we win the MLS Cup, it’s going to change football for the whole of Canada, I think. If a Canadian team wins the MLS Cup, we’re going to have a whole slew of football fans and it’s going to be amazing.”

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Impact fans like Natasha Carota admitted to being nervous before the epic tilt.

“Sometimes I have to remember to breathe,” the 28-year-old Montrealer said.

“Losing against Toronto is just a no-go. There’s nothing worse than losing to Toronto. Nothing worse.”

Carota, like other Impact supporters with the 1642 MTL fan group, was amazed by the size of the crowd.

“Tonight, for example, the Habs are playing at home and 61,000 people are here. And the Habs are in first place; it’s not like the Habs are doing terrible.

“I really think there’s a big buzz here,” Carota added. “In my opinion, the Impact have solidified second place as a sports team in Montreal. Not to play down the Als or anything, but I really think this is something special.”

Hakim Sheriff, another 1642 MTL supporter, was pumped by the massive fan turnout.

“It’s crazy. It’s one of those signs to say (MLS soccer) is really growing in popularity.”

Sherriff, 19, noted that Montreal is an “event city and this is a big event against a major rival.”

Carota admitted Montrealers love a winner. “Montreal sports fans can be bi-polar at times, but I think this is a nice long step in the right direction for soccer.”

Gordon Glendinning, a TFC diehard, senses that a cultural shift in Canada’s sports landscape is taking place with this soccer playoff series between the country’s two biggest cities.

“The fact we’re going to have close to 100,000 fans for the two games is amazing for Canadian soccer. It’s never happened. It’s huge,” he said.

Finan says soccer’s relative affordability at the youth level makes it a popular choice for many families who can’t afford the exorbitant costs associated with minor hockey.

“Even the pro game is accessible,” Glendinning added. “I mean, I have season tickets. I could never do that with the Leafs. I’m a Leafs fan, but I can never connect with Leafs because I can’t go to every game like I can here. ”

Could TFC ever possibly become more popular than the Leafs?

“They’ll never eclipse the Leafs,” Glendinning said.

Finan said Toronto sports fans have been burnt so many times in the past, the Queen city may be reluctant to fully embrace the exciting TFC club led by Giovinco.

“I think people are so used to Toronto teams screwing it up, they want to wait to see what happens,” she said.

Pierre Tessier sports Montreal Impact colours as he arrives for game 1 of the MLS Eastern Conference final held at Olympic stadium in Montreal on Tuesday November 22, 2016.Pierre Obendrauf /
Montreal Gazette

Montreal Impact fans arrive for game 1 of the MLS Eastern Conference final held at Olympic stadium in Montreal on Tuesday November 22, 2016.Pierre Obendrauf /
Montreal Gazette

Jean-Yves Riendeau, left, and his brother Michel sport Montreal Impact colours as they arrive for game 1 of the MLS Eastern Conference final held at Olympic stadium in Montreal on Tuesday November 22, 2016.Pierre Obendrauf /
Montreal Gazette

Montreal Impact fans celebrate outside the Big O entrance, as they arrive for game 1 of the MLS Eastern Conference final held at Olympic stadium in Montreal on Tuesday November 22, 2016.Pierre Obendrauf /
Montreal Gazette

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